Field Hockey: Huskies Ousted 2-1 On Terrapins' Late Goal

STORRS — —Maryland was the two-time defending national champion who returned eight starters.

UConn was a national semifinalist that saw seven starters graduate.

Back in September, the UConn field hockey team didn't exactly expect to be playing for a chance to go back to the NCAA national semifinal game. But there the Huskies were Sunday, facing the Terrapins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Sherman Family Complex.

At halftime, the score was tied. But Maryland senior Megan Frazer, who won the Honda Award last year as the nation's most outstanding field hockey player, scored with 2:12 left in the game and the sixth-ranked Terrapins beat No. 4 UConn, 2-1.

Maryland (18-5) will play Princeton in the national semifinal game Friday at Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. Syracuse and North Carolina will play in the other semifinal.

"It was a great game," UConn coach Nancy Stevens said. "At the very end, they had more experience on the field and were able to find a way to win."

UConn (19-3) outshot Maryland 11-6 (8-2 in the first half) and had an 8-3 advantage in penalty corners (5-1 in the first half).

"I thought we played well start to finish," UConn senior Alicia Angelini said. "We outshot them, out-cornered them. I just don't think we executed the best on our corners. We usually nail all of our corners."

The Huskies nailed one in the first half. Sophomore forward Chloe Hunnable, who led the team in points with 15 goals and 11 assists, put the Huskies on the board first with a goal at the 9:53 mark, off an assist from senior back Louisa Boddy.

Maryland countered with a goal 12 minutes later, a deflection off the stick of Alyssa Parker that went up and in past UConn goalkeeper Sarah Mansfield.

"I thought we sat back in the first half and tried to feel out what they were going to be like," Maryland coach Missy Meharg said. "I think in that regard, we found ourselves statistically fortunate to be [tied 1-1] at the half.

"But I think the quality of the match for us really lit it up in the second half. It was much more even. I think we had a bit of an advantage."

UConn had played a double-overtime game Saturday, beating Northeastern 2-1, but Stevens didn't think that affected Sunday's second half.

"We created scoring opportunities," Stevens said. "Sometimes you have to give a little credit to the defense. They had two outstanding German defenders and a junior national team center back so they played pretty stout defense.

"If we could change anything, it would have been just to do a little better on our corner execution. We had some great opportunities, just missed by a couple inches."

Frazer scored her goal unassisted.

"Megan Frazer is just a winner," Meharg said. "She's done it before for us. She's done it since her freshman year. I'm proud of the Maryland women for being on the road and finding a way to make it back to the final four."

UConn won the Big East championship. Its three losses came to three of the four national semifinalists.

"We're so proud of the season they've had," Stevens said. "Nineteen wins. You look at the broad picture and say it was a tremendous season."